Do right things at the proper time，or it's too late to regret for what has passed.

    A grasshopper （蚱蜢）was playing the violin when he saw some ants busy1 food."Why are you working on such a beautiful day？"he asked.

    "We must collect food now，"said the queen of the ants."If we don't，what will we do when 2comes？"

    "Oh，winter is a long way off，"said the grasshopper."You take life much too 3."

    "But you must 4today if you want to eat tomorrow，"said the little ant."You can play your violin after you've finished your work."

    The grasshopper didn't want to follow her 5.He went away，singing.

    Spring soon passed and the warm summer came.All day long the grasshopper played the 6.Soon summer was over.And then autumn passed，too.One morning，the grasshopper woke up and was 7to find that snow had fallen during the night."Why？Had the long winter come？"he said to himself.

    The grasshopper wandered around looking for a place to keep 8but there was no such place."How9I was not to listen to the ants.While I am dying of cold and 10they are sitting in their warm nest with plenty to eat."

    The grasshopper was soon frozen stiff （冻僵的）.The ants picked him up and carried him to their nest.The grasshopper learned a lesson he would never forget.

Dad's Advice

    When I finished my school education, I began to find a job. I was very happy because it was time to make my dream come true.

    One evening, my father talked to me about what kind of 1I should look for. He wanted me to work for a big company and asked me to take his advice. But I really hoped to be a teacher. It was my dream. I didn't accept his 2. We shouted and didn't talk to each other. Even worse, I found it more and more difficult for us to say sorry as time went by.

A week later, I decided to break the 3 and make the first move. So I dialed (拨打) my father's number and began talking in a low voice, "Dad...I am 4. I shouldn't argue with you that day!"

There was a silence at the other end. After a while, he 5 in a low voice. "Well, that's all right, honey."

I was surprised, and raised my voice a little, "Dad, I understand why you don't want me to be a teacher, but to be a teacher is my dream job. I hope you can also 6 me."

From the other end of the line comes my father's answer, "Sorry, honey. I shouldn't force you to accept my idea. You have your own dream, I should 7 you."

    On hearing this, I was so 8 that my eyes were full of tears (眼泪). I realized that this special moment had taken our father-and-son relationship to a new level.

    A few weeks later, my mother told me that my father had been ill for half a year. He would get an operation (手术). The operation was successful. My father was saved and 9 escaped (逃离，逃脱) death.

    Many times I feel lucky that I 10 the first step to say sorry to my father. I can't imagine how I can live the rest of my life if my father didn't have a successful operation.

    Mike worked for the Canadian government.One day, he was 1 to learn more about wolves.Do wolves kill lots of caribou (北美驯鹿)? Do they kill people?

    They gave him lots of food and clothes and guns.Then they put him on a plane and 2 him to a far-away place.The plane put him down and went away.There were no houses or 3 in this place, but there were lots of animals and lots of wolves.

    There are many 4 stories about wolves.Wolves are said to like to kill and eat people.Mike remembered these stories, and he was afraid.He had his gun 5him all the time.

    Then one day, he saw a group of wolves.There was a mother wolf with four baby wolves.A father wolf and another male wolf, younger than him, lived with them.

    Mike watched these wolves every day.The mother was a very good mother.She gave milk to her babies.She gave them lessons about life.They learned how to 6 food.The father wolf got food for the mother.The young male wolf 7 the children.They were a nice, happy family—a wolf family! Mike did not need his 8 any more.In a short time, he got on well with the family.Mike 9 them for five months.He learned that many stories about wolves were not true.Wolves do not eat people, and they do not eat many large animals.And he also learned bad things about 10.It was men who killed many caribou and wolves.

    Later, Mike wrote a book about wolves.He wanted people to understand them and stop killing them.

I used to live in my own room alone. But one day it all changed when my brother Jack asked to share my 1. At first, my parents said "no" to him, but at last my mother agreed. I cried and asked my parents not to do this, 2 it didn't work.

    As soon as Jack entered (进来) my room, it began to become 3. To my anger, he often left his unwashed clothes and toys everywhere!

    One evening, I was doing some 4 on my computer while Jack was listening to music.5, I left my seat to get some water. A big surprise was waiting for me when I 6. He was using my computer to play games. I had forgotten to save (保存) the homework. Sadly, he had closed my program 7 saving it—all I had done had disappeared (消失)! I 8 him. He cried a lot as my mother came and beat him. My mother also asked him to leave my room at once.

Then I did my homework 9. At 10:00 pm. I finished it. When I was going to turn off the 10, I saw the photo of my 11 that he had put on my table. I looked at his lovely face and remembered how 12 he was when my mom beat him. I really felt 13. I went to see what he was doing. I found he was 14 in my parents' bed. I kissed his face. He woke up, got up and said, "I'm sorry. I won't bring you any more trouble."

I was so moved (感动的) and said, "From now on, my room is not only mine. It is 15!" That very night, Jack and I shared not only the room, but the bed.

    Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature (文学). He is the first Chinese 1 has won this prize.

    Mo Yan was born into a family in Shangdong 2 1955. He left school at the age of twelve, first on a farm and 3 in a factory. In 1976 he 4 the PLA and during this time he began to study 5. His first short story came out in 1981. He has written many famous books about his childhood and his hometown. Many of his books have been translated into English, French and many other 6.

    Mo Yan's winning of the Nobel Prize is bringing more confidence (自信) to the nation's young 7.

    Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun1—to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.

Most of the class considered turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the2of most of her students' art. And they were. But in her class there was a different kind of boy, Douglas. He was always unhappy. When other children played together, he was likely to stand close by the teacher's side. The boy drew a hand in his picture.3else. Just an empty-hand.

    Whose hand4it be? His abstract(抽象的) picture made classmates really5. One child guessed it was the hand of the6, because they raise turkeys. Another suggested police officers, because the police7and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went8the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.

    When the children went on to other projects, she9at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him10hand it was. The little boy looked away and said in a low voice, "It's11, teacher."

    The teacher recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there as she had the other students. How often had she said, "12my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside," Or, "Let me13you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.

    Hearing the boy's words, tears ran down the teacher's face. She brushed aside a tear and went on with her work.

    The story speaks of14than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship. They might not always say15, but they'll remember the hand that reaches out.